A Visual Guide to Practical Data De-Identification

Overview

De-identification, the process of removing personally identifiable information from data collected, stored, and used by organizations, was once viewed as a silver bullet allowing organizations to reap data benefits while at the same time avoiding risks and legal requirements. However, the concept of de-identification has come under intense pressure to the point of being discredited by some critics.

This visual guide provides a primer on how to distinguish different categories of data and introduces de-identification of datasets, including direct and indirect identifiers, safeguards, and controls.